This invention relates generally to the grouping of a multiplicity of cable cards in a selected array configuration, and more particularly to a combination of a multiplicity of cable cards and a card grouper which together have a keying system to assure the cards will reside in one and only one array or sequence configuration within the grouper.
In the art of computer technology it is often necessary to provide a multitude of external connections of power lines and signal lines to planar circuit boards. One convenient and conventional technique for accomplishing this is to provide an array of pin connectors, such as Harcon connectors on a printed circuit board. These are connectable to various types of cables, which cables are attached to cable cards having a plurality of connection means extending from one edge thereof. Frequently it is necessary to provide connection to more than one cable with a given array of connectors on the circuit board. This is conventionally accomplished by some type of cable card grouper for arranging and securing the multiplicity of cable cards in array for a given or fixed configuration such that the group of cables can be installed into the connectors on the board as a unit. Conventionally these cable cards have all had the same configuration and care had to be exercised in arranging these cable cards in the card grouper to assure that they were all arranged in the proper order or sequence in the grouper to assure that each cable would make contact with the proper connectors in the array on the circuit board. In the past this arrangement has been left to the functioning of an assembler. This, however, is subject to human error.
There have been a number of prior proposals for keying and polarizing arrangements in various electrical devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,441 discloses a guide and notch assembly with notches of various lengths to connect circuit boards to a base; U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,565 shows a keying arrangement for plug-in electrical connections; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,881 shows another arrangement for keying of electrical connection assemblies. In addition to these references U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,307,927; 3,177,461; 3,714,617; 3,611,272; 4,032,213; 4,726,791; and European Patent Application 0 033 286 as well as IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Volume 31, No. 2, July 1988, page 141, show various cable configurations and electrical connectors utilizing various keying and polarizing techniques. However, none of these references disclose a technique for keying an array of cable cards in a card grouper in such a way to allow a unique configuration of the cable cards in the array.